XJTLU holds its First Three Minute Thesis Competition

The finalists of XJTLU's first Three Minute Thesis competition, with the judges and Professor Adam Cross Credit: XJTLU

Could you describe 90,000 words of research in just three minutes? That’s just what nine PhD students did as XJTLU recently wrapped up its first Three Minute Thesis competition.

The annual worldwide contest, started by The University of Queensland in 2008, celebrates doctoral research by asking PhD students to explain their research within three minutes and with only one static presentation slide.

After preliminary selection, nine students from across the University’s schools and academies were chosen to present in XJTLU’s final.

They finalists were:

Dr Sophie Sturup, Senior Associate Professor in the Design School’s Department of Urban Planning and Design, was one of the five judges. She explains why academics being able to speak effectively to anyone about their research in three minutes is useful.

“It gives you a way of letting people in on the secret you have been working on all this time,” she says.

The judges named Peiyun Li the winner and Yuhua Duan the runner-up. Both students are in the Department of Health and Environmental Sciences in the School of Science. Professor Adam Cross, Associate Vice-President for Education, awarded the trophies.

Li explains why she joined the competition: “At first, I signed up just to practice my presentation skills. However, when I carefully read the competition requirements, I realised it would be an important opportunity for my future career.”

Peiyun Li, winner of XJTLU’s Three Minute Thesis final, is a PhD student in the Department of Health and Environmental Sciences. Credit: Peiyun Li

Reaching a wider audience

Li says that researchers in her field need to be able to clearly communicate their findings and suggestions to different audiences, including the public and policymakers, to advocate for the importance of conservation.

“Unlike other academic presentations, this competition required me to use familiar terms so everyone could grasp the gist of my research. It was excellent training and a challenge for me,” she says.

Li and Duan both encountered difficulties while creating their presentations, with Li highlighting the complexity of balancing the introduction, results, and discussion in only three minutes.

Duan agrees, saying: “Three minutes is a short time to present a complete research thesis. It is necessary not only to set up the experimental background so that the audience can understand the significance of the subject, but also to present our experimental design and results.”

Runner-up in XJTLU’s Three Minute Thesis final: Yuhua Duan, a PhD student in the Department of Health and Environmental Sciences. Credit: Yuhua Duan

Dr Sturup explains both Li’s and Duan’s abilities to distill all aspects of their research into three-minute presentations led to their being awarded the top prizes.

She says: “Both students talked about their research specifically. Their whole talk was about what they were doing and why.

“They both made a strong connection between what they were doing and how it was going to solve a problem or help some problem they felt passionately about in some way.”

Li and Duan found the experience valuable and recommended other PhD students take part next year.

Duan says: “I think it’s a good way for PhD students to practise presenting in English. And in the process of preparing for the competition, everyone needs to think about how to quickly capture the focus and significance of our scientific research.”

Li will go on to represent XJTLU at the 2024 Asia-Pacific Three Minute Thesis Competition in October.

The judges of the competition were:

Dr Sophie Sturup, Senior Associate Professor in the Department of Urban Planning and Design, Design School;

Dr Ye Bai, Senior Associate Professor in the Department of Economics, IBSS;

Dr Sekar Raju, Senior Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science;

Dr Hua Li, Senior Language Lecturer in the English Language Centre, School of Languages; and

Ran Zang, a PhD student in Civil Engineering, Design School and one of the awardees of Best Presentation in the 2023 XJTLU Postgraduate Research Symposium.

Professor Zhoulin Ruan, Vice President of Academic Affairs, gives an opening speech at XJTLU’s Three Minute Thesis Competition. Credit: XJTLU

By Catherine Diamond

Edited by Tamara Kaup and Patricia Pieterse